The House Which Time Forgot, Ginny
by VictorianChik
Summary: A year after the epilogue of House W.T.F., almost 20-year-old Harry is madly in love with Ginny. But even though they're engaged, Ginny doesn't feel exactly accepted into the home by Snape who is strict and dour as ever. One-shot


"Shh," Harry sat up on the bed, "did you hear anything?"

Ginny pushed herself up to her elbows and frowned. "No. Are you sure you want to do this here?"

"We're just making out," Harry leaned back to kiss her, but she pulled back into the bed.

"No, it's not just that. You're always so jumpy here. This is your house, and you can't even relax. Is this going to be the way you are once we're married and I move in?"

"Ginny, don't start," Harry glumly sat back and looked down at her as she lay on his bed.

"I'm not starting anything. We have been over this a million times. Snape doesn't like me."

"He likes you," Harry started, but she shook her head.

"No, he doesn't. He glares at me every time I come over, he ignores me when I try to talk to him, and I'm sure he says mean things behind my back. He does not like me at all."

"Well, he doesn't like anyone. He barely likes me and I've been here eight years. It's just Snape."

"You expect me to live in a house where not only does my father-in-law not like me but he doesn't like his own son?"

"Adopted son," Harry tried.

"No, that's not okay. Either he likes both of us or we leave."

"We can't leave. Snape would go crazy by himself. I'm the only thing keeping him sane most of the time, and that's saying something."

"Fine," Ginny looked Harry straight in the eye. "You think Snape is going to just get over his dislike? You think he'll bear it because he has to."

"Of course."

"Then, Harry," Ginny grabbed the front of his shirt, "do me right here and now."

"Ginny," Harry pulled back in surprise.

"No, I'm serious. Snape isn't here, but I want to know you are comfortable enough to do what we both want in this house."

"He could come home anytime."

"Please," she rolled her eyes, "we've had sex in my house twice and both times my whole family was there."

"We put a silencing charm over your room," Harry said. "And I was uncomfortable . . . a little."

"Didn't stop you. Come on, let's see the great Harry Potter in action again," Ginny raised herself up and kissed him. "You know you want to." Another kiss. "Such a good man." Kiss. "Such a bad boy."

"Ginny," Harry groaned in her mouth, but he was already reaching down to pull his shirt out of his trousers.

They kissed and laughed and hugged each other, undressing until Ginny was wearing only her bra and Harry had only his shorts on. He was kissing a row of freckles up her shoulder when a scramble of paws came from the hallway and Vampyr burst through the door barking.

Ginny pulled back on the bed, grabbing her shirt to cover herself.

"It's just a dog," Harry kept kissing, but she tensed under his mouth.

"He's watching us. He's looking right at us."

"He doesn't know what he's seeing. And if he did, he'd be thinking, 'Right on, Mr. Potter'."

"Harry!"

"Fine," Harry rolled off the bed. Vampyr jumped out of the way with a bark.

"Shut it," Harry lunged for his collar. "Come here, you dumb beast. Stop barking and hold still –"

"What is going on?" Snape's angry voice demanded.

Harry jumped, losing his grip on the dog, and Vampyr rushed towards the bed, barking. Ginny shrieked and grabbed the rest of their clothes to try to cover herself.

"Have you lost your mind?" Snape demanded. "What are you thinking?"

Harry drew himself up even though he dropped his hands to cover the front of his shorts. "We're both adults. We were kissing a little."

"Without your clothes?"

"For crying out loud," Ginny said, her voice exasperated. "We were about to sleep with each other. We've done it before, and we'll do it again. Can you please leave so I can make myself decent?"

Snape's eyes went wide, and Harry cringed a little. Then Snape grabbed his arm and dragged him towards the door.

"Where are we going?" Harry asked.

"We're giving the lady some privacy."

"But I was the one who helped undress her," Harry said before he could think.

"Quiet! Get your clothes and leave Ms. Weasley alone."

Harry meant to stand up to Snape, to tell him where he could shove his ideas, to tell him that he and Ginny were leaving forever, but he grabbed his clothes and headed to the door with Snape.

"You have to be kidding!" Ginny said from the bed, but Snape closed the door.

"Get dressed and then downstairs with you," Snape ordered.

Harry hastily put on his trousers and pulled his shirt over his head. Vampyr kept bouncing around with excitement until Snape pushed him down.

"You come with me," Snape grabbed Harry and escorted him roughly down the stairs. They went into the living room and Snape positioned him to stand in the corner, just like he had when Harry was much smaller.

"I really am too old for this," Harry let his shoulder slump. "I'll be twenty in a few months."

"When I want you to speak, I'll tell you," Snape said. "Right now, you better shape up before I take a cane to you."

"I'm an adult," Harry said into the corner. "You can't punish adults for doing adult things. This is my house, too. I live here and Ginny and I are engaged. Remember?"

Harry held up his left hand, showing Snape the plain band on his ring finger, but Snape pushed his arm down.

"You stand there and think about your behavior," Snape ordered.

Harry rolled his eyes. He was almost as tall as Snape and he knew he was just as strong with all the Auror training, but he didn't want to fight Snape. He didn't even want to argue with Snape – he would rather them all get along.

"Are you serious?" Ginny stormed into the living room, now fully dressed. "You're making him stand in the corner like a little kid? He's an adult, and he's going to be my husband."

"He's my son first and he's going to pay for his brutish behavior."

"No, he's not," Ginny grabbed Harry's left arm and closed one of her hands around his hand, covering the engagement ring. "He belongs to me now."

"No, he's mine," Snape grabbed Harry's right arm. "I raised him."

"I love him," Ginny pulled.

"I love him, too . . . in a different way."

"I want to have his children," Ginny's grip tightened.

"Who do you think is going to pay for those children? Who's going to help raise them?" Snape yanked back.

"I will. We don't need your help."

"Oh, yes, you do."

"Maybe we could all raise the kids together?" Harry suggested. "Or get a part-time nanny?"

"You stay out of this," Ginny told him.

"This doesn't concern you," Snape snapped, glaring at Ginny.

"Their father doesn't get a say?" Harry blinked, but they ignored him, still pulling.

"You've ruled this house with an iron fist for way too long," Ginny said, her eyes flashing. "When I move in, things are going to change."

"Over my dead body," Snape seethed. "We have lived here for decades without your help."

"Eight and a half years," Harry corrected.

"It shows," Ginny sneered. "The house needs cleaning, and everything smells like dog. Who's in charge of cleaning this mess?"

"I am," Harry's mouth drooped a little. "I've been a little busy lately, but –"

"I thought you were a progressive woman," Snape retorted. "You mean to tell me that you think a woman's domain is the house? Should we keep you chained in the kitchen so you can keep to your place?"

"No, I think a woman can do whatever she wants, but that doesn't mean we have to live like pigs. Harry needs someone to take of him. Look how dirty his clothes are."

"It was dirty work training today," Harry tried to protest. "They don't even give you proper uniforms so my clothes get destroyed –"

"This is my house and I decide if you get to stay," Snape ignored Harry. "That's the end of it. So you can decide if you want to follow my rules or sleep outside."

Ginny pushed at Harry, and Harry stumbled back a few steps. Ginny kept her eyes on Snape and she stepped up to him. She was almost a foot shorter, but Harry could feel the anger resonate off her.

"I've been nice to you, Severus Snape," she almost spat his name, "but you are pushing me too far. I'm not your student anymore, and I'm not scared of you. I'm marrying Harry, and if you don't like that, that makes you the most pathetic man alive. You can't be happy for your son? How selfish are you?"

"Not selfish at all," Snape answered. "I just think he can do better."

Harry's jaw dropped open in horror. Snape had said some mean things over the years, but nothing this bad.

Ginny's eyes flashed, but she didn't crumble. "It's funny," she tilted her head to the side. "I was thinking the same thing with Harry's choice of a father."

Harry stepped back, shocked at her acidity.

"Excuse me?" Snape's eyes narrowed.

"A wretched old man in this shabby hovel? Harry's the hero of the wizarding world – he could have chosen better. My parents might have a shoddy house, but they were raising seven children. What's your reason, Severus? You give up after Lily chose James?"

Snape looked murderous, and Harry protested,

"Gin! I told you that in private. You weren't supposed to repeat it."

She ignored him, keeping her attention on Snape. "You see, Severus? I'm not afraid to play as dirty as you. I grew up with six brothers – I can hold my own."

"Ron always seemed nice to you," Harry ventured, feeling rather out of his league. He knew Ginny had a temper and a determined streak, but he never thought it would flare like this. She seemed almost vicious.

"I see that, Miss Weasley," Snape stiffened. He looked ugly and angry and suddenly old.

"Stop it," Harry burst out. "Just stop, Ginny."

She looked at him, and Harry wondered if she was about to leave him forever because he chose Snape over her, and he knew he should always choose her over Snape because –

Ginny lunged at him, and Harry braced himself to be slapped, but instead she plucked off his glasses.

The world went blurry for him, and he reached out to grab them back. She darted out of reach, and he protested,

"No, not fair. I can't see. Give them back, Ginny. I mean it."

"Listen to me," Ginny calmly folded the glasses shut. "You are going to sit in here and wait while your father and I go out and have a little chat."

"No, I'm not," Harry reached for his wand, but he had left it upstairs with the rest of his stuff. "You're not talking to Snape while I'm not there. Give me back my glasses, Gin, or I swear I'll –"

Snape grabbed Harry by the shoulder and swatted him across the backside.

"Dad!"

"Don't you talk to a lady that way," Snape said. "You brought this on yourself by sneaking around. I daresay Miss Weasley wanted to be honest with me, but you like going behind everyone's back."

Snape swatted him again, and Harry thought that was most unfair considering he couldn't see and it was his house where he lived and no one seemed to care. But Snape sat him down in a chair, warning,

"You move from there, and I'll treat Miss Weasley to a show of how we deal with disobedience in this house."

"Oh, come off it," Harry muttered under his breath, "I'm almost twenty and you haven't punished me in years."

"Stay," Snape said. "Vampyr, guard him."

Vampyr went into the room and sat at Harry's feet. In the last year, the dog had been slowing down. He still could get excited when emotions were tense and he barked viciously at strangers, but he seemed content to sit most of his days and not do too much.

Snape led Ginny into the kitchen. "A cup of tea?"

"No," Ginny leaned against the counter, "but I'll take a shot of firewhiskey if you have any."

Snape smirked as he opened the cabinet. "You are quite a piece of work. I should throw you out of my house for disarming my son like that."

"I told him it was time to get his eyes fixed," Ginny said. "Every time we snog, his glasses bump all over the place."

"There are some things, Miss Weasley,that a father doesn't need to hear."

Snape handed her a glass with three fingerfulls of firewhiskey. Ginny tipped all of it back into her mouth before saying,

"You call me Ginny or I'll start calling you Snivelus."

"That blasted boy! Are there no secrets he can keep?" Snape turned to look out the window in frustration. The back yard stretched wide, filled with beds of plants that Harry helped tend. The grass grew stronger and healthy, always green now that Harry didn't romp there anymore with Vampyr.

For a moment, Snape had the awful feeling that his boy was all grown-up, no longer the young thing Snape had adopted. There wasn't a small boy sitting with Vampyr in the other room – there was a grown man who loved the woman sitting at the table in the kitchen.

"He's a handful," Ginny looked very satisfied with herself as she put her glass down and sat down at the small table. Snape did the same and they sat facing each other.

"I love him," Ginny said abruptly.

Snape turned the glass in his hand, but he didn't drink it. "He's a child. He doesn't know how to take care of a woman. The dog won't even listen to him."

"Then we'll have to keep him in line," Ginny smiled as she put Harry's glasses on the table. "I'm up to the challenge. Are you?"

Snape looked down.

"You know," Ginny said casually, "last week in the last Auror test, Harry sacrificed himself to save the group.'

"What?" Snape froze.

"It was a simulation, but Harry stepped in front of all of us and took the first burst of fire. He didn't even try to avoid the inferno or use his wand to counter the blast. His clothes caught fire, and we all had to work to get the flames out. I flung a bucket of water on him with my wand, but his clothes were done for."

"I knew he smelled like smoke when he came home!" Snape was livid. "He said he passed a man burning leaves in his yard."

"Lies. He was a human blaze for a few seconds later. I had to use replacement spells to grow his eyebrows back on because he said you would be concerned."

"What else?" Snape said in a low dangerous tone.

"Oh," Ginny put on an innocent look, "are you asking what else Harry's done that's been a bit risky? Oh, nothing . . . except volunteer to be the first Auror in for the last seven missions. He's been nearly decapitated, half crushed by a falling boulder, run over by a unicorn, and lost two fingers when we chased down a Death Eater who was throwing out severing curses."

"_What_?" Snape roared.

"Don't worry," Ginny smirked. "I reattached his fingers. And he keeps a bottle of glamour potion in his locker in case he has to hide his injuries before he goes home."

Snape was silent.

"It's interesting," Ginny put her head to the side, "but I never could figure out why he was so desperate to hide his injuries from you. You are a potions master – you could heal him better than those medi-witches that patch us up. Do you not approve of him putting himself in danger?"

"You are the danger here, Ginny," Snape said. "You are far, far too clever for that poor boy."

"Compliments from you?" she raised her eyebrows. "How unexpected."

"I do hope you'll be careful with him. He's good and forthright and honest, not underhanded like us."

"My first concern will always be him."

"Good to know," Snape knocked back all his firewhiskey. He slapped the glass on the table and grabbed Harry's glasses as he got up. "Harry James Potter, you caught fire?"

Ginny left her glass on the table to follow Snape into the living room.

Harry was sitting forlornly in the chair, but he sat up straight when they came back in. Snape handed Harry back his glasses, and Harry hastily shoved them on.

"What? What did she tell you?"

"Fire?" Snape crossed his arms. "Falling boulders? Severed fingers?"

Harry hesitated. "I – I can explain."

"Oh, can you?" Snape waited.

"Being an Auror comes with a certain level of danger," Harry hedged. "You knew that when I signed up."

"When I _let_ you sign up," Snape reminded him.

"I was of age. You can't tell me what to do forever – I should get to make my own decisions."

"I have no hesitations in spanking you in front of your bride-to-be."

Harry looked like he might stand up and challenge Snape, but he stayed seated and said, almost whined, "Snaaaape."

"That's Dad to you. I thought we agreed that you wouldn't put yourself into dangerous situations."

"I try not to."

"I prefer you to try a little harder. I want you in one piece for a few more years."

"I do, too," Ginny said. "A wife should know that her husband won't do anything foolish. A wife should trust her husband. After all, you're the future father of my children."

"I know," Harry sighed. "I'll figure out a way to be safer."

"Well, you better figure it out soon," Ginny said. "I'm thinking you have about seven to seven and a half months to get it right."

"Bu we're getting married in two months . . ." Harry trailed off as he looked at her.

Ginny grinned and placed a hand on her stomach. "The midwife confirmed it this morning."

Both men froze, staring at her.

"I'm hoping for a girl," she said. "A boy would be fine, but I have enough trouble with so many brothers."

No one spoke, no one moved.

Then Snape grabbed Harry by the arm, pulled him up out of the chair, and started walloping him hard on the backside.

"You got her pregnant! Of all the deviant, wicked, shameful things –"

"Ow," Harry tried to squirm away. "Ow – stop smacking me. Run, Ginny, run! Save our child."

Ginny laughed and she collapsed in the chair Harry had been sitting in.

"You took advantage of her," Snape looked like he would start spitting nails. "I know what you're like – the deceit and the lies and the trickery and the sheer disobedience."

"We're adults," Harry kept moving himself to the side, angling out of Snape's reach. "She wanted to sleep with me. She initiated it and –ow!"

"Are you calling your unborn child's mother a whore?" Snape roared. "Of all the loutish, unseemly – you stand still while I deal with you."

"Not likely," Harry kept squirming away.

"Stop – boys, stop," Ginny said. When that didn't work, she put a hand over her stomach and gave a sharp hiss.

Immediately, Snape and Harry were by her side.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked. "Do we need to get you to a medi-witch?"

"I just feel a little nauseated," she said. "I've been having some morning sickness lately."

"Oh, no," Snape stepped back, horrified. "I gave you firewhiskey. You aren't supposed to drink that when you're pregnant."

"You gave her firewhiskey?" Harry bellowed. "You bastard!"

He leapt up and tackled Snape, tumbling both of them to the ground. Snape was caught by surprise, but after a few seconds, he managed to push back, and they scuffled on the floor like two puppies instead of a twenty-year-old Auror and his forty-two-year-old father.

"Stop!" Ginny stomped her foot down. "I didn't drink it. While Snape looked away, I spit it on the floor."

Both men stilled, sitting on the floor, panting.

"But why," Snape asked, "did you ask for it in the first place? That stuff isn't cheap, you know."

"Would you stop bitching about money?" Harry said.

"Don't use that word in front of her. Apologize or I'll wash your mouth out with soap."

"I'll pin you to the floor again," Harry threatened.

"I asked for firewhiskey," Ginny said, very loudly, "because I wanted to see if you would give it to me. You did, proving that you don't think of me as a child. And if I'm not a child, Harry can't be one, because he's a year older."

"Age has nothing to do with it. Harry is immature and impulsive. You'll have this baby and he'll run off to chase trolls. He's done it before, you know. No sense of propriety."

"Shut up," Harry retorted. "I chased one troll in Hogwarts nine years ago. I've hung 'round here since I got here, even when I had better offers."

"Nobody wants you," Snape sneered. "You're more trouble than ten boys put together. I would raise the Weasley clan before I'd adopt you again."

"Oh, really? Well, I'll have you know –"

"That's enough," Ginny said. "You two are going to get up off the floor, shake hands, and then we're going upstairs to decide which room to use for a nursery. And we won't speak of this again. I am not telling my baby that his father and grandfather brawled on the floor while Mummy sat watching the whole thing."

"Is it a boy?" Harry asked.

"I don't know. Too early to tell."

"Fine," Harry jumped up, using the quick reflexes he had learned in Auror training to push himself to his feet. He put a hand out for Snape.

Snape glowered at him but accepted the hand. He was slower getting to his feet, but once there, he straightened, still slightly taller than Harry.

"Shake hands," Ginny said as if she were ending a fight between two children.

Harry put his hand out and Snape grabbed it roughly.

"Sorry, Dad. I – we should have talked to you sooner about all of this. But you're going to be a grandfather."

Harry let go of Snape's hand. For a moment, he stood there, and then Harry's face went white. "I'm going to be a father. I – I'm going to be a father. Me – a father. Oh, no, I don't feel too good."

"Here," Ginny jumped out of her seat. "Sit down."

Harry fell back into the seat.

"It's okay," Ginny smiled reassuringly. "Everything is going to be all right. Lean forward and put your head between your knees."

"Oh, no," Harry bent forward dizzily. "I'm going to be a father. This is the scariest thing I've ever done."

Ginny cast Snape a worried look. "The scariest?"

"The scariest thing ever," Harry confirmed.

"Harry, dearest . . . um, do you remember fighting Voldemort?"

"Uh-huh," he nodded, head still between his knees.

"Do you remember almost dying in that? Big battle? Blood everywhere? Curses flying? You were in a coma for three days after you killed him?"

Snape twitched in the same nervous way he always did when someone brought up the last battle that Harry fought against the Dark Lord.

"That was different," Harry still didn't raise his head. "Then it was live or die. Now I have to worry about being a good example. I've never had a good example. My father died when I was a baby, and my adopted father hated me and locked me in a cellar when I came here."

"Only one time and he was being impossible," Snape said as explanation when Ginny gave him a furious look. "And I thought we weren't going to tell anyone about that."

"Ugh," Harry leaned against the chair back, his face still pale. "What if I do that to a child? What if I lose my mind and decide to have a mental breakdown like this one did?" he motioned vaguely to Snape.

"There were extenuating circumstances," Snape said stiffly. "And you were horrid back then."

"How can an eleven-year-old be horrid enough to get locked in a cellar?" Ginny asked.

"He could," Snape muttered. "He's twisting the story, too."

Rolling her eyes at Snape, Ginny put a warm hand on Harry's shoulder. "No one is getting locked in cellars and no one is going to freak out about this birth. This baby will have a mother and father and grandfather that will love him. And a whole mess of uncles and a grandmother and grandfather on my side. This baby will be so loved he won't know what to do, and we will give him the best childhood any child could want."

Color returned to Harry's face, and he pulled Ginny down to sit on his lap. "Keep saying things like that."

"The baby will have a nursery here," Ginny smiled. "And Mum will give us my old baby bed. The baby will learn to walk in the garden out back, and read books in here, and later go to Hogwarts where his grandfather teaches. Our child will be the smartest at school and have lots of friends and brag that his father is a hero and the best Auror in the world. And I hope this child will be one of many that will fill this house, this house that you and Snape have made so beautiful, just perfect for a family."

Harry leaned forward to kiss her gently.

"Foolishness," Snape said hoarsely, clearing his throat. "A bunch of sentimental nonsense. You children and your nonsense."

Snape blinked quickly and tried to school his features. "This child needs order and discipline, not two love-sick parents to spoil it. I know exactly what is needed, and I always have."

Snape marched out of the room, snapping his fingers at Vampyr to follow.

Harry grinned and held Ginny tighter.

"Do you think he's going to be harsh with our child?" she asked.

"I think," Harry said slowly, "that in the entire world, there will not be a child more spoiled and doted upon. Snape's happy now, whether he wants to admit it or not, and he wants a little one around."

Raising his voice, Harry called, "You're right, Snape. No nonsense. In fact, we aren't going to buy a single toy and we'll put the baby to work as soon as we can. Three-years-old and scrubbing the kitchen floor every day and getting smacked every night."

_Stomp, stomp, stomp_! – back into the living room.

"If you dare harm one hair on that child's head," Snape threatened, "I will lock you in the cellar again. And no toys? Are you mad? Of course, the baby will have toys."

Harry shrugged. "I guess he'll be okay, Gin."

"You two are impossible," Ginny snuggled into Harry's lap. "Boy or girl?"

"Boy," Harry answered.

"Girl," Snape said. "We – um – could call her Lily."

"Could we call a boy Arthur for my father?" Ginny asked.

"Arthur or Lily," Harry nodded. "The next one can be James or Molly. But their last names will be Snape-Potter."

"Arthur Snape-Potter. Lily Snape-Potter," Ginny said softly. "I like the sound of them."

Snape cleared his throat again and went back to the kitchen, muttering, "Nonsense – all of it! Two love-sick children without any idea of what to do or how to do it. Thank goodness I'm here to talk some sense into someone."

"Can I move in tomorrow?" Ginny asked.

"Oh, I don't think you're ever leaving now," Harry smiled. "Welcome to the house."


End file.
